Jiang's works use ordinary objects such as leftover tea leaves. [Photo provided to China Daily]

How can leftover leaves be recycled when no longer producing a fine cup of tea?

Beijing-based Jiang Ji'an boils and bakes them to make artworks. He rubs leaves into pulp to make a piece of paper; he bakes other leaves and grinds them into pigments that he uses to paint. He selects leaves that still maintain a good shape and attaches them to paintings.

Jiang's ready-made paintings are on show at his ongoing exhibition at the Asian Art Center at Beijing's 798 Art Zone. Titled In-between Object and Shadow, he uses ordinary objects such as tea leaves and silk to create paintings that convey a scholarly temperament in the manner of a Song Dynasty (960-1279) work, as well as encourage philosophical thinking of how people today should perceive the objects.

Jiang started producing ready-made art in 2009.

The popularization of digital technology has brought in an age when people look at images instead of text and learn about things through photos.